Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what discussions (a) he and (b) Ministers in his Department have had with the Chief Inspector of OFSTED on the financial sustainability of the further education sector.

There have been no substantial discussions between my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State, or other ministers, and the Chief Inspector of Ofsted on the financial sustainability of the further education sector.

We have been working to improve the financial resilience of the further education sector. We have already invested over £330 million to support college restructuring following the area review process. We are now considering the final applications for restructuring support, and expect the final figure to rise significantly before the programme ends next year.